Ramblings of a Changing Man: Hope

by Steve Ferber

God sure has been faithful to me, especially the past couple of years.  He has disciplined me like a son, bringing me closer to who he created me to be.  I remember when I first started this journey; the first trial I walked thru was trust.  This one was really hard for me, but I finally received a deposit of trust after many months of God adjusting my belief system.  I knew that this was not the end of my journey, just the beginning.  I really trusted the Lord, but there was still not rest in my soul.

 It took about a month for rest to come; I did not understand what had happened but was glad to receive this from the Lord.  Over a few weeks God began to reveal what he had done in me.  He had given me a deposit of hope.  It has taken over a year for me to fully understand what His hope is.  Two definitions that I think fit; 1) trust: a feeling of trust and 2) confident desire:  a feeling that something desirable is likely to happen.

So, if my hope is in the Lord, then I am confident that he is doing good things in my life.  Then why do we struggle with apathy and depression at times in our lives?  Ro 8: 28 says,  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him.”  Do we really believe that God gives good things to those that He loves?  The problem is not with God, but with us.  Isa. 55: 8 tells us; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” declares the Lord.” 

Our way of thinking is contrary to Gods, if we do not surrender our will to him, then how can we expect to have our hope in him?  The truth is we can’t!  We may have hope that he will do what we want him to do, but we really don’t trust him enough to give him total control.  If my hope is that God will do what I think he should do, then that hope will fail me.  But if I have a confident desire that God will do what he knows is best for me, this will not fail and will sustain me thru many hardships.

Are you struggling with having hope?  Then ask God to teach you to trust him, without trust you cannot have hope in him.  In this you must surrender to him unconditionally, what has your way accomplished?  When our hope is truly in God then we will be able to do what 1Pe 3:15 says; But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Always remember, that your hope is not in the miracles or things that he has done, rather it is the hope that is in the actual character of God that will sustain you.  Let us remain humble before the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to his Lordship and walking in His light.